Dame Julie Andrews is an English actress, singer, and director. Known for her performances on stage and screen, she has received several accolades including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, seven Golden Globe Awards, two Grammy Awards, and four Primetime Emmy Awards as well as a nomination for three Tony Awards. She has been honored with the Kennedy Center Honors in 2001 the Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007, the Venice Film Festival's Golden Lion in 2019 and the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2022.
Andrews started her career on stage making her Broadway debut in the musical The Boy Friend (1954) earning a Theater World Award. She gained her breakthrough for her role as Eliza Doolittle in the Lerner and Loewe musical My Fair Lady (1957) for which she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. She continued to gain acclaim and Tony-award nominations for her portrayals of Queen Guinevere in the Lerner and Loewe musical Camelot (1961), and Victoria Grant in the Blake Edwards musical Victor/Victoria (1982). The later of which earned her the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical. She acted in the off-Broadway Stephen Sondheim revue Putting It Together (1993) for which she earned an Outer Critics Circle Award as well as a nomination for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical.
On film, she made her debut portraying the title role in the Walt Disney family fantasy film Mary Poppins (1964) for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress, the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, and the BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer. She portrayed Maria von Trapp in the musical epic The Sound of Music (1965) earning the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy as well as a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and the BAFTA Award for Best British Actress. She won another Golden Globe for her leading role in the Blake Edwards comedy Victor/Victoria (1982) and was Globe-nominated for her roles in Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967), Star! (1969), Darling Lili (1970), 10 (1979), That's Life! (1986), and Duet for One (1986).
On television, she gained national prominence for playing the title role in the CBS live staging of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Cinderella (1957) for which she was nominated for the Best Single Performance – Lead or Supporting Actress. She hosted the ABC variety series The Julie Andrews Hour (1972–1973), for which she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Series. She played a kind Nanny in the family Christmas film Eloise at Christmastime (2003) for which she was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie. She currently portrays Lady Whistledown in the Netflix costume romance series Bridgerton (2020–present) and Queen Charlotte (2023), for which she's received four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance, winning once.
She earned a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1979, and received the Disney Legend in 1991 for her work on Mary Poppins. She has also won accolades from the New York Film Critics Circle Awards, Laurel Awards, People's Choice Awards, and Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards.
Major associations
Academy Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 1964Best ActressMary Poppins 1965The Sound of Music 1982Victor/Victoria
BAFTA Awards Year Category Nominated work Result British Academy Film Awards 1965Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film RolesMary Poppins 1966 Best British ActressThe Americanization of Emily / The Sound of Music
Emmy Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Primetime Emmy Awards1958 Actress – Best Single Performance – Lead or Support Cinderella 1965 Outstanding Individual Achievements in Entertainment The Andy Williams Show 1972 Outstanding Variety Special Julie and Carol at Lincoln Center 1973 Outstanding New SeriesThe Julie Andrews Hour Outstanding Variety Musical Series1995Outstanding Performance in a Variety or Music ProgramThe Sound of Julie Andrews 2004Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a MovieEloise at Christmastime 2005Outstanding Nonfiction SeriesBroadway: The American Musical 2021Outstanding Character Voice-Over PerformanceBridgerton (episode: "Diamond of the First Water") 2022Bridgerton (episode: "Capital R Rake") 2023Queen Charlotte (episode: "Honeymoon Bliss") 2025Bridgerton (episode: "Into the Light") 2026 Bridgerton (episode: "The Waltz") Daytime Emmy Awards1981 Outstanding Performer in Children's ProgrammingThe CBS Festival of Lively Arts for Young People 2017 Outstanding Writing in a Children's, Pre-School Children's or Family Viewing ProgramJulie's Greenroom Outstanding Preschool Children's Series
Golden Globe Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 1964Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or MusicalMary Poppins 1965The Sound of Music 1966Henrietta Award — World Film Favorite — Female— 1967Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or MusicalThoroughly Modern MillieHenrietta Award — World Film Favorite — Female—1968Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or MusicalStar!1969Henrietta Award — World Film Favorite — Female— 1970Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or MusicalDarling Lili 1972Best Actress – Television Series Musical or ComedyThe Julie Andrews Hour 1979Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical10 1982Victor/Victoria 1986That's Life!Best Actress in a Motion Picture – DramaDuet for One
Grammy Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 1965Best Recording for ChildrenMary Poppins 1996Best Traditional Pop Vocal AlbumBroadway: The Music of Richard Rodgers 1998Broadway: Here I'll Stay — The Words of Alan Jay Lerner 2011Best Spoken Word Album for ChildrenJulie Andrews' Collection of Poems, Songs and Lullabies
Screen Actors Guild Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 2021Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama SeriesBridgerton
Tony Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 1957Best Actress in a MusicalMy Fair Lady 1961Camelot 1996Victor/Victoria †
† Andrews declined the nomination for her role in Victor/Victoria, citing she felt the rest of the company had been overlooked.
Miscellaneous awards AssociationYearCategoryNominated workResult David di Donatello Awards 1966 Best Foreign Actress The Sound of Music 1983 Best Foreign Actress Victor/Victoria Drama Desk Award 1993 Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Putting It Together 1996 Outstanding Actress in a Musical Victor/Victoria Eddie Awards 1965 Best Performance by an Actress in a Film Debut My Fair Lady 1966 Best Actress in a Feature Motion Picture The Sound of Music Golden Plate Award 2004 The Arts Herself Hasty Pudding Theatricals 1982 Woman of the Year Herself Helpmann Awards 2017 Best Direction of a Musical My Fair Lady Kansas City Film Critics Circle 1982 Best Actress Victor/Victoria Las Vegas Film Critics Society 2005 William Holden Lifetime Achievement Award Herself Laurel Awards 1965 Best Female Musical Performance My Fair Lady Female Star (3rd Place) Herself 1966 Best Female Musical Performance The Sound of Music Female Star (2nd Place) Herself 1967 Female Star Herself 1968 Best Female Comedy Performance Thoroughly Modern Millie 1970 Female Star (6th Place) Herself 1971 Female Star (10th Place) Herself New York Film Critics Circle 1964 Best Actress Mary Poppins 1965 Best Actress The Sound of Music People's Choice Awards 1982 Favorite Movie Actress Herself Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards 2002 Favorite Movie Actress The Princess Diaries Outer Critics Circle Awards 1993 Special Award Putting It Together 1996 Outstanding Actress in a Musical Victor/Victoria Sant Jordi Awards 1982 Best Performance in a Foreign Film Victor/Victoria Theatre World Award 1955 Outstanding Broadway Debut The Boy Friend Spindle, pp. 123–29 Women in Film 1993 Crystal Award Herself
Honorary awards Organizations Year Award Result Hollywood Chamber of Commerce 1979 Hollywood Walk of Fame British Academy Film Awards 1989 BAFTA Special Award Walt Disney Company 1991 Disney Legends John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts 2001 Kennedy Center Honors Society of Singers 2001 Society of Singers Life Achievement San Sebastián International Film Festival 2001 Donostia Award Screen Actors Guild Awards 2007 Life Achievement Award American Academy of Neurology 2007 Public Leadership in Neurology Award University of California, Los Angeles 2009 George and Ira Gershwin Award Grammy Awards 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award Princess Grace Foundation 2011 Prince Rainier Award Probst, Andy."Julie Andrews to Receive Prince Rainier III Award at Princess Grace Awards Gala" theatermania.com, 3 October 2011 Hamptons International Film Festival 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award Venice International Film Festival 2019 Career Golden Lion American Film Institute 2022 AFI Life Achievement Award
Honorary degrees Andrews has received many honorary degrees in recognition of her distinguished career in entertainment. These include: 1970: University of Maryland – Doctor of Fine Arts 1999: Yale University – Doctor of Fine Arts 2012: Stony Brook University – Doctor of Letters
References